Diversity in Higher Education

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National Postdoctoral Association, _. “Postdoctoral Scholars, Gender, and the Academic Career Pipeline: A fact sheet,” 2011. Publisher's VersionAbstract

NPA ADVANCE: From Postdoc to Faculty: Transition Issues for Women Scientists is a project to foster the transition of women postdocs into the professoriate. Supported by a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program, the project will adapt and disseminate promising institutional practices for assisting women scientists and engineers in making this transition. The NPA will draw on successful models from both past ADVANCE programs as well as from the postdoctoral community, then adapt and promote them through various avenues.

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Paul, Annie Murphy. “Are College Lectures Unfair?The New York Times, 2015. Publisher's Version
Princeton University, Report of the Trustee Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity. Princeton, N.J. Princeton University, 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

The Report of the Trustee Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity identifies ways to make Princeton University a more diverse and inclusive community, with a focus on graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and senior administrators. The report builds on Princeton's ongoing efforts to embed diversity in the practices of the entire institution, and offers recommendations for diversifying specific campus populations where progress has been more limited.

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Smith, Daryl G., Lisa Wolf-Wendel, Bonnie Busenberg, and Associates. “The Pipeline for Achieving Faculty Diversity: Debunking the Myths.” In Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Meeting. Memphis, TN: Association for the Study of Higher Education, 1996. Publisher's VersionAbstract

This study examined the academic labor market experiences of 393 recipients of Ford Minority Fellows, Mellon Fellows, and certain Spencer Fellows who had recently completed doctoral degrees. Of the original 393 individuals, 78 percent responded to telephone interviews that focused on their hiring experiences relative to eight prototypes, which ranged from "sought after" to "never applied for faculty position." Based on the data, the report addresses and debunks five "myths" of the academic labor market and concludes that institutions can raise the level of qualified candidates by improving the search and hiring process, and by considering nontenure alternatives. The report sees opportunities for diversity decreasing in the future and suggests fellowships as a way to provide important networking links. Additionally, it sets out some strategies and principles of good hiring practice for institutions and suggests also that institutions provide graduate students with support in preparing for the job market and be ethical and honest when opportunities for academic posts are limited.

Sonwalkar, Nish. “Adaptive individualization: the next generation of online education.” On the Horizon 16, no. 1 (2008): 44-47. Publisher's VersionAbstract

Despite the predictions and expectations that the online education will become a “killer app” and with major impact on education, the first generation of online education has led to more disappointments than success stories. The current – one-size-fits-all static approach is extremely ineffective and leads to increased effort on the part of faculty and instructors teaching online courses. This paper discusses adaptive learning as an alternative transfer of traditional structures from a geographically-based to an online setting. Design/methodology/approach – This article begins with an overview of the development of online education, and concludes that its initial promise has not been fulfilled because the innovations in technology have not been accompanied by any corresponding changes in the way classrooms are structured. It then proposes adaptive learning as a means by which, with the help of digital resources, learning can be adjusted to the needs and interests of individual students. Findings – To improve current state-of-art and to increase effectiveness of the online education, systems that can adapt the content to match the learning preference of the individual learners, termed as the “adaptive learning systems,” are needed. Systems that will support adaptive learning in a university and college environment will facilitate a paradigm shift for instructors to “guide-on-the-side” from “sage-on-the-stage.” Originality/value – This opinion piece argues the need for a massive restructuring of higher education, using a student-centered model.

Stone, Geoffrey, and et al. University of Chicago Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2015. Publisher's VersionAbstract

A committee of faculty members from across the University was convened by President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Eric D. Isaacs, chaired by Geoffrey Stone, Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor of Law. They were charged with crafting a statement “articulating the University’s overarching commitment to free, robust, and uninhibited debate and deliberation among all members of the University’s community.” This report reflects the University of Chicago’s commitment to and tolerance of multiple forms of free expression, an important value of the University and its community.

Supreme Court of the United States,Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin et al., 579 U.S. ___ (2016),” 2016. Publisher's Version
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Thomas, Kecia M., Leigh A. Willis, and Jimmy Davis. “Mentoring minority graduate students: issues and strategies for institutions, faculty, and students.” Equal Opportunities International 26, no. 3 (2007): 178-192. Publisher's Version
Trix, Frances, and Carolyn Psenka. “Exploring the Color of Glass: Letters of Recommendation for Female and Male Medical Faculty.” Discourse & Society 14, no. 2 (2003): 191-220. Publisher's Version
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Walton, Jonathan L., and et al. Report of the College Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion. Harvard College Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, 2015. Publisher's VersionAbstract

Mindful of the mission and aspirations described above, the Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion, in consultation with the Office of the Dean of the College,drafted a charge in May of 2014. The Working Group was to “assess Harvard College’s learning environment in order to ensure that all students benefit equally from its liberal arts educational and service mission.” The task included consulting with stakeholders across the University, incorporating research at the intersections of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other frames of identity and difference, and examining approaches at peer institutions in order to recommend models that might be applied or reimagined on Harvard’s campus.

Williams, Damon A., Joseph B. Berger, and Shederick A. McClendon. Toward a Model of Inclusive Excellence and Change in Postsecondary Institutions. Washington, D.C. Association for American Colleges & Universities, 2005. Publisher's VersionAbstract

Damon Williams, Joseph Berger, and Shederick McClendon offer a framework for comprehensive organizational change to help campuses achieve Inclusive Excellence. The authors review several dimensions of organizational culture that must be engaged to achieve this goal and discuss a method to help campuses monitor changes that might come from introducing new systems and new practices. The resulting framework, perhaps most importantly, helps campus leaders focus simultaneously on the “big picture” — an academy that systematically leverages diversity for student learning and institutional excellence — and the myriad individual pieces that contribute to that picture

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Zappert, Laraine T., Mary H. Rauner, and Patricia P. Jones. Priming the Pipeline: Understanding the Obstacles and Incentives for Considering an Academic Career. Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University, 2007. Publisher's VersionAbstract

The goal of the Pipeline Project, part of the Stanford Campus Diversity Initiative funded by a grant from the James W. Irvine Foundation, is to analyze the factors that affect academic career choices, particularly of underrepresented minorities and women, with the goal of increasing faculty diversity.

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